unarmed state of the enemy, who poured in a sharp and constant fire of musketry. Their resistance, however, was of little avail, as long as we kept afloat, or did not go far from the beach. It was evident from the first that the Russians, having no guns, were destitute of means adequate to repel the great naval force we could bring against them, and they must have known it also. The governor, therefore, was greatly to blame for exposing the inhabitants to so much unnecessary misery. I do not recognize the beauties of a paternal government which causes so much affliction to its subjects.

The boats brought back with them a Greek, who was taken with a musket in his hand. He was a civilian, and was very groggy. He said that yesterday the police issued arms to the inhabitants, and told them to defend themselves. As the boats were returning, some riflemen ran down to a bank near the edge of the cliff, and opened fire upon them. them. Some mounted Cossacks also showed themselves, but a shell from the Recruit put the whole of them to flight. The Cossacks bolted as hard

as they could go, stooping on to their horses' necks, and digging their heels into their sides. Thee seem to be no medium in a Cossack. He always seems to be either quite stationary, or to be galloping as hard as his horse can carry him.

About four o'clock p.m. the boats were taken in tow by the steamers, and we returned to the squadron. I was horribly tired, having been all day under a hot sun, with nothing to eat except some gingerbread-nuts. Two Greek vessels were brought away which had been found at anchor. No doubt they had made a good business of it, by conveying stores across the Sea of Azoff. Their masters pretended that they had been detained by the blockade. They will be towed to Kertch, and turned out into the Black Sea, that they may render no more assistance to the Russians.

The Lady Nancy proved a 'great success.' Seventy-eight rounds were fired from her without doing her the least damage. During the day, the Sulina went, with a launch, to destroy some small vessels at the mouth of the Don; but the water was so shallow that

44

THE USE OF MARINES.

even the launch grounded, and all, except one, escaped up the river.

To advance up the Don to Azoff or Rostoff would be a dangerous expedition without a number of gun-boats of very light draught of water, and a land force, with light fieldpieces, to move at the same time along shore. There is a great deficiency in the equipment of this squadron. They should carry some five hundred marines, who would prove of most essential service, and enable us to penetrate into the towns, and thereby destroy stores at a distance from the water; whereas at present it is rarely safe to land in a town offering resistance, or, at all events, to move the seamen and few marines we have beyond the beach, lest they should be cut off by an unseen enemy. These five hundred marines would land, taking field-pieces with them, and would prove more than a match for four times their number of Cossacks.

CHAPTER IV.

MARIOPOL-TEMRIOUK-YENIKALÉ-KERTCH.

June 5th.-THE squadron weighed yesterday, and anchored off Mariopol, a neat-looking, straggling town, and apparently incapable of offering any resistance. A church and clubhouse, or library, are, as usual, the most conspicuous buildings, with their green roofs. Club-houses seem to be an institution common to all Russian towns I have seen.

At half-past six a.m. the boats went in with a flag of truce, but could find no authorized person to treat with. The Austrian Consul came down to the shore, and gave in

MARIOPOL.

formation that six hundred Cossacks had just left. Accordingly, the boats were sent in armed, and the flag of truce was hauled down. A few shots were fired from the ships, by way of intimidation. A shot from a gun-boat struck the church just over the porch, and then fell to the ground. A Russian ran up to it, and tried to carry it off, but it was too heavy for him; so another came to his assistance, and they rolled it over the open ground, until they were out of sight. I suppose it will be put up in the church as an offering to some saint or other. Parties of seamen and marines were landed, and marched through the town. No molestation was offered to them; indeed, most of the inhabitants had deserted the place, and those remaining gave every assistance-pointed out the stores and public buildings, and even gave beer to some of our There were no vessels, but some large grain-stores, which, with the police and passport offices, custom-house, &c., were burnt. The people collected on some hills near and looked on at the destruction. Geese and pigs seem to be the live-stock most common in Russian towns,

men.